In January, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appeared before the Baltimore City House Delegation to promote her legislative agenda. Most of those bills are getting votes this week. (WBAL file photo)

Baltimore County State Senator Jim Brochin talks about the bill to create a partially elected school board in Baltimore County. Download This File

Montgomery County State Senator Jamie Raskin talks about his bill that places requirements on restaurants regarding food allergies. Download This File

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mac Middleton talks about the status of minimum wage legislation in the Senate. Download This File

Heavy equipment is used to clear snow from around State Circle in front of the Maryland State House. The House of Delegates delayed the start of its session today, due to the snow. (WBAL's David Collins)

Members of the Maryland General Assembly started work a little earlier than usual today, as lawmakers head into the home stretch of the 2014 session.

Today is known as "Crossover Day" where lawmakers have to pass bills in at least one chamber, if those bills have any chance of getting to the governor's desk. Bills can still be introduced after Monday, but lawmakers would have to vote to suspend their rules.

Lawmakers normally convene at 8 p.m. on Mondays, with committee hearings held earlier in the afternoon.

The House of Delegates met for about three hours today to vote on dozens of bills.

The House approved a bill that expands medical marijuana in Maryland.

Advocates say Maryland's current medical marijuana law is a failure, because it only allows academic medical centers to distribute marijuana to critically ill patients, and none have stepped forward to do that.

This bill, would allow doctors with special certification to prescribe marijuana to critically ill patients.

Baltimore County Delegate Dan Morhaim, who has sponsored medical marijuana legislation, says the doctors’ activities would be tightly controlled by the state's medical marijuana commission to prevent abuse.

The bill which passed 123-13 today now goes to the Senate, where it's expected to pass.

The House also unanimously approved a bill to allow for a partially elected school board in Baltimore County.

Under the bill, seven of the 12 board members would be chosen in non-partisan elections starting in 2018. Four of the board members would be chosen by the governor, from a list of candidates picked by a special commission. That commission would be made up of educators and leaders of the NAACP and other groups.

Opponents of the bill worried that the elected school board would not be diverse racially, and this commission will address that concern.

The board would continue to have a student member.

Last week, aides to Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz told WBAL contributor Bryan Sears of The Daily Record that he would not oppose the bill.

The bill also received unanimous approval on Friday from the Senate Education Health and Environmental Matters Committee. The panel's chairman, Sen. Joan Carter-Conway had previously opposed the bill, but noted the nominating commission addresses her concerns.

The Senate is due to debate its version of the bill this week.

The House also voted 103-33 to approve a bill backed by Governor Martin O'Malley to expand pre-kindergarten programs. The bill adds 1,600 students to the state funded programs. This is part of a program unveiled by the governor to take the program statewide in five years. Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, who is running to succeed O'Malley, promises to continue the O'Malley program.

A Maryland bill that would have closed some nonviolent criminal records from public view has been reduced in scope.

The House Judiciary Committee voted Monday to change the bill so that records would only be removed from a state website that shows case records. The House of Delegates gave final approval to the bill later in the day by a vote of 88-48.

The measure, known as the Maryland Second Chance Act, was changed so that members of the public and employers would still be able to pull court records to view them upon request.Supporters of the bill say its main purpose is to help people who have had nonviolent criminal misdemeanors re-enter society by shielding records after at least three years. But opponents contend the public and potential employers should have access to the information.

CLICK HERE to see a list of bills the House of Delegates has approved today.

The Senate met for about an hour on Monday night, after the House of Delegates adjourned for the day.

Under House rules, it means any of the bills approved by the Senate Monday would have to go to the House Rules Committee.

At the end of the Senate session Monday night, Senate President Mike Miller criticized House leaders for not waiting for the Senate to finish its business before the day, before adjourning.

The Senate voted 45-1 to increase the tax credit given to film and television production companies that work in Maryland.

Prince George's County Democrat Paul Pinsky cast the only vote against the bill. Baltimore County Democrat Delores Kelley did not vote.

The bill increases the tax credit from $7.5-million to $18-million.

Last month, the producers of the Netflix drama "House of Cards" sent a letter to Governor Martin O'Malley, and legislative leaders telling them the drama may move out of Maryland, if the tax credit isn't restored to its current level of $25-million The bill goes to the House.

The Senate also voted 33-14 to approve a bill that requires restaurant servers inquire if their customers have any food allergies, and have a staff member who has completed a special allergy awareness course.

The Senate also voted unanimously to increase the state exemption on military retirement income from $5,000 to $10,000.